Drowsiness and Driving Safety

KOMPAS.com - Traffic accidents are often fatal. Recently, a high bekecepatan car hit the car in front of him to open the door and killed two lives. Based on the news reports, it is said that the driver drowsy condition. It is sad.

Healthy sleep is fundamental in the context of driving safety. Because the qualities that define the ability to drive is built, maintained and refreshed only when sleeping. Drowsiness is a sign of a person unfit to drive!
In a state of drowsy driving is as dangerous as driving drunk condition. Do not wait to sleep, drowsiness alone is dangerous. When sleepy of concentration, alertness and reflexes so bad.
Data
Powell and his friends in 2001, stated in his research that drowsy driving conditions as dangerous as driving with alcohol levels of 0.8 (legal alcohol limit for driving).
The American Automobile Association (AAA) estimates that 1 of 6 deadly traffic accident and one of the eight accidents that cause needs to be treated in hospital, caused by sleepiness! In Indonesia, data Ketupat Operations 2011 recorded the cause of accidents caused by vehicles is 449 incident unworthy, unworthy of the 387 events, while an accident caused by a sleepy driver is the 1018 case!
Figures are fantastic, but it seems to still be ignored in Indonesia. Why? Since we have not put the health of sleep as one of the priorities of our lives. Healthy sleep is ignored. Though accidents caused by drowsiness let alone cause death, it is very worth it. Sleepiness can be prevented and treated the right way!
Sleep Needs
Everyone needs sleep. We can not function well without enough sleep.
Human sleep needs are divided by age group. Adults need about 7-8 hours of sleep each day. While the mid-teens up to age 20 still need 8.5 to 9.25 hours of sleep a day! Something very difficult to achieve given the current pulse of modern life. No wonder the young adult age group are the most deprived of sleep and the highest accident rate.
Lack of sleep definitely makes us sleepy. But because of the biological clock in our brain, there are certain hours that make us sleepy despite getting enough sleep, let the hours after lunch or early morning hours when the sun was about to rise. The lack of sleep will double sleepiness at these hours. Pack and his friends in 1995, noted that traffic accidents often occur at odd hours earlier.
Fun activities will cover drowsiness. But the fact remains drowsy condition. Sleepiness is coming ambush so monotonous or boring activity. Driving on a straight road that the field is a monotonous activity. So it was not boredom that makes you drowsy, sleepily there just not show up when activity is high.
Excessive Sleepiness
No one called the most sleep. That there is excessive sleepiness despite sleep duration is sufficient. This is called hypersomnia. Sufferers remain sleepy despite getting enough sleep. Such conditions would be dangerous for those who work driving, in the airport control tower, supervisor at the nuclear reactors and others.
The cause of hypersomnia is sleep disorders such as periodic limb movements in sleep, narcolepsy, and the most common is sleep apnea or snoring.
Do not dismiss snoring. He risk his life in his sleep due to episodes of stopping breathing during sleep he experienced. People with sleep apnea are always sleepy despite sleep duration sufficient. No wonder if in some European countries that have not been treated snorers stop breathing forbidden to drive.
Prevent and overcome drowsiness
Drowsiness can be prevented. Easy, we just need to increase the priority of sleep in our daily schedule.
Energy drinks, caffeine or nicotine is not the right answer. Because these substances only delaying sleep, the brain loses its ability to keep tired. There are times when we need a stimulant, and there is a way. Not from our slumber and drank coffee. Caffeine will work after 30 minutes. So ideally when driving long distances and sleepy, we stopped first. Drinking caffeine or energy drinks, then sleep for 20-30 minutes. When I woke up, we get the fitness benefits of sleep and caffeine freshness.
Not a single substance in the world that can replace the restorative effects of sleep.
If still sleepy after getting enough sleep, may suffer from a sleep disorder caused hypersomnia, excessive sleepiness. Consult a doctor and treat this hypersomnia. People with hypersomnia had terminal will remain sleepy despite caffeine consumption. Do not drive right up to the expert doctors declared safe to drive.
Signs of Sleepiness Harm:
- It's hard to concentrate on the road, and began blinked repeatedly.
- Start off track.
- Riding with the rest of the head.
- As if dreaming, and forgetting a trip for 10-15 minutes have passed.
- Feeling tired, irritable and aggressive.
Preventing Sleepiness:
- Inadequate sleep needs every day (7-9 hours a day).
- No need to rush on the road.
- For long-distance travel, try to have the person to talk to friends or even interchangeably.
- Break every 2 hours.
- If you feel sleepy, take a break, drinking coffee or energy drinks, and went to sleep. Once the new building continue on.
- Excessive sleepiness and snoring? Immediately consult a doctor.
Sources: http://health.kompas.com/read/2013/01/03/15535937/